Drifters set up camp outside Lilydale toilet block, freaking out pedestrians

A group of homeless and drug-affected people have set up a large camp outside public toilets in the middle of Lilydale, scaring off mums and children.

Passers-by are too intimidated to use the toilets, eyewitnesses say.

A group of homeless and drug-affected people have set up a large camp around public toilets in Lilydale, scaring off mums and children.

Since December, the rowdy group have turned the concrete decking in front of the toilets near Crown Hotel into a no-go area.

Craig Morrison said he took his grandchildren to the block but they were too terrified to go inside.

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“There were women with kids who wanted to go but they were too scared,” Mr Morrison said.

“My grandchildren were too scared to go to the toilet.”

Mr Morrison said he had complained to Yarra Ranges Council twice but nothing had been done.

The group of drifters are sleeping rough at the toilet block in Lilydale.

“I’ve been down again and now there are three more (people),” he said.

“Nothing is being done about it.”

Yarra Ranges social and economic development director James Collins said the council referred the issue to homeless support service Anchor in December.

“Anchor has provided the people sleeping rough with accommodation options but so far they have declined assistance,” Mr Collins said.

“We contacted police before Christmas and requested that police monitor the area,” he said.

“If the people become a safety issue to themselves or to others, it becomes a police issue.”

But homeless advocacy charity Holy Fools chief executive Neal Taylor said he had also tried several times to offer the people support but said they were not interested.

Women and children are reluctant to use the toilets, park users say.

“I have found in my work with homeless people who don’t want help, sometimes they become so hurt by their situation they self-medicate by taking drugs or alcohol,” Mr Taylor said. “It doesn’t mean they need to be aggressive though.”

He said the group had chosen a bad spot to camp out.

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